Reviewed by Carol Sullivan
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Rating: R
Director: Anthony DiBlasi
Starring: Shaun Evans, Jackson Rathbone, Hanne Steen, Laura Donnelly
On DVD: March 23, 2010
Studio: Lionsgate
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Finally, I've gotten my hot little hands on the 4th installment of After Dark Horrorfest's - 8 Films to Die For. I do have to admit, they are getting better about their selections, folks. The first film I watched from this year's batch was Dread; the adaptation of Clive Barker's short story. Though not to be watched after a big steak dinner, this one's a real treat...
Dread begins with a gruesome bang; we watch a couple being brutally murdered by a lunatic with an axe; all through the eyes of their young son, Quaid. Somehow, the boy escapes being the third victim, but grows up to be rather unbalanced as a result.
So, this Quaid (Shaun Evans) convinces two college students - Stephen (Jackson Rathbone, Hurt) and Cheryl (Hanne Steen) - to help him make a documentary about the origins of fear and dread. Using other co-eds as subjects, the interviews go along nicely with the young folks telling the camera all about their secret fears. But this is not nearly enough for our disturbed Quaid. He wants these kids to experience the terror that he did as a child. What cruelty and brutality might Quaid be capable of on his quest to rid himself of his own demons?
As I watched Dread, I was impressed with the colorful characters and the gritty tension the movie offers. As the movie slithers along and you watch Quaid's hallucinations and nightmares worsen, you wonder: "How the heck can this end well?" Well, the question is soon answered as you see the level of depravity that Quaid is willing to go to; and he does it like it's perfectly natural and all part of the legitimate documentary. Shaun Evans did a nice job of acting this role; a real psycho hidden in the body of an average college guy. And the bath-scene with the bleach and steel wool scrubbing still gave me the shivers days later!
All in all, Dread belies its budget and delivers some good grisly scares! It is well worth a rental and/or purchase... And be sure to catch the gaggle of extras on this disc for an interesting chat with Author Clive Barker.
Overall Rating: 3 1/2
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Last Updated ( Friday, 30 April 2010 07:55 )
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